Review: Sunkissed by Carys Jones

Title: Sunkissed
Author: Carys Jones
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Series: N/A

Paperback, 242 pages
Publication: October 23, 2013 by Kellan

Source: I receive a review copy form the author in exchange for a honest review.

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Dawn Summers is dying. It’s 1853 and as the seventeen year old continues to fade away she has visions of the father she never knew, urging her to fight for her life.

In the small village of Fandova the only medical care is in the form of the mysterious Dr. Moralus who has a known penchant for bloodletting. Thomas, Dawn's fiancé, is warned against inviting his intervention, but feels he has no choice, he pleads with the doctor to save Dawn’s life…whatever it takes.

Whatever it ‘takes’ has some consequences neither of them expected. Now, it’s a hunt to the death, with both Dawn and Thomas determined to win. 

The year is 1853 and 17-year-old Dawn Summers is dying from the common cold/flu. Although, this is nothing new as many people and Dawn’s two other siblings have died because there wasn't an accessible doctor or medicine around.  But luckily or not so lucky Dr. Moralus the village recluse, a fairly new resident of Fandova is around this time, and Dawn’s Fiance Thomas is willing to brave the night to seek medical help from Dr. Moralus.  But the only way to help Dawn is to turn her into a vampire, like Dr. Moralus. 

I don’t really know what to make of Dawn, as the book is so short; it felt like I barely know anything about her. Sunkissed showed readers a glimpse of Dawn prior to her vampire transformation and after the transformation as she copes with what she had become. Dawn was afraid of losing her humanity and resorted to drinking blood from livestock and eventually black pudding (which I think is like congealed animal blood?) and as the book progressed we see her settled into her fate, accepting it and never once losing sight of who she is or her humanity. Then there is Thomas her Fiance who after Dawn’s transformation, decided he should share the same fate as her so that they may live together forever. But unlike Dawn, Thomas lost his humanity and became a monster. He thought of himself as better than all the humans and that they were nothing but food for the taking.

The first 1/3 of the book introduced us to the characters of the book and the rest of the story was more of a cat and mouse chase. Dawn couldn't live with what Thomas has become so she fled Fandova. The story then jumps to present day New York. For over a century Dawn had been on the run from Thomas, able to elude him with her special/unique ability (thanks to her father’s gene) as she works as a waitress in a hole in the wall diner. And like most stories, you can’t run from your past as it eventually catches up to you and in Dawn’s case…Thomas has been searching for her ever since she left him and has finally pinpointed her location on the east coast. 

Overall, Sunkissed was a good read but with some flaws. I didn't like how in the beginning of the story everyone (but Dawn’s mom) was blind to what Dr. Moralus was…everything about him screamed vampire. I was surprised no one accused him of being a vampire; I mean the dude only came out at night and he drained sick people’s blood! I also thought the writing could have been smoother and the formatting a bit better. Everything felt choppy or like it wasn't edited properly. The half of the book took place in 1853 Fandova and the other half present day New York. It would have been better if the first half was more condense, so that the main focus was on the confrontation between Dawn, Thomas and Dr. Moralus...because the plot felt rushed towards the last half of the book.  What I did enjoy was seeing the transformation of Dawn and Thomas’ characters and how much the two contrast one another. The ending was quite a surprised, which I must say I didn't see coming at all. I am intrigued to see what will happen next, as the book ended abruptly on a (somewhat) cliffhanger. I’d recommend Sunkissed to paranormal fans but with some reservation. It’s a good book like I said but not one I’d rush people to go read.